The Ballad of Love and Hate
by iamconcussed
Summary: Ginny is secure in her feelings, while Draco needs a little something more before admitting anything to himself.


A/N: This story is based on a song by the Avett Brothers with the same title. The letters they write to each other and the final words of the story are almost word for word from the song.

* * *

Ginny inhaled the enticing aroma of Hermione's famous chocolate chip cookies. Ginny didn't inherit her mother's talent with baked goods, but visiting Hermione allowed her to indulge herself in home cooked desserts every once in a while. She really did want to eat every single cookie sitting on the plate, but she knew she should let Hermione take the first one. But where had the girl gone off? Did she think Ginny had self-control, because she was sorely mistaken if that was the case.

"'Mione," Ginny called out, running her finger along the edge of the porcelain plate. When she received no answer she picked up a cookie and stared at it. "Why are you so delicious looking?" she asked it, her eyes narrowed as the dessert taunted her.

"Talking to your food now? Has living in the Wizarding World brought you to this madness?" Ron laughed, appearing at the kitchen door. "You know," he started, plucking the cookie from Ginny's hand, "you really should wait for Hermione. She'll be dreadfully sorry if she misses that look on your face when you take the first bite of her food."

"It would be easier if I had any idea about where she had gone," Ginny told him, hopping off of the stool she had been perched on. "I should probably write Draco," she mused, turning in circles, trying to find a good place to go and write.

"Why?" Ron snorted, taking the seat Ginny had just vacated. "Your weird friendship with him makes me even keener to convince you to just move in with us."

Ginny put her hands on her hips and faced her brother. "It is not a _weird_ friendship! It is completely normal," she insisted. She turned away from him and opened the drawer full of parchment and pulled out a standard sized piece and a quill that had been tucked away in the back.

"I'd prefer it if you didn't live so close to the Ministry," he told her grimly, taking a sip from his coffee mug. "I just don't think you're that safe."

"I'm fine," she answered absent mindedly as she wrote her letter. "Can I borrow Rigsby?" She raised her eyebrow when she looked up to find him making a face that could only be translated to a question of '_seriously_'. "Please," she added.

"Gin, don't be daft," he told her, popping a piece of a cookie into his mouth. "You know Rigsby can't fly into London. They'll intercept him."

"You're paranoid. You haven't been in London for five years. How many times do I have to tell you that it's changed before you believe me?"

"It's changed? How many times a month do you have to show your blood status papers to some slimy git with a badge?" he asked her, his face slightly red. "How many times a week?"

"I'll admit that you do have to carry your papers around, but other than that it's not so bad. It's not like Death Eaters are running around the streets killing everyone," she pointed out. She rolled her letter up and removed the ribbon from her hair, tying it around the parchment.

"Well, I don't want to be somewhere that my wife can't go because of who her parents were!" Ron yelled, pushing the stool back with a screech.

"Oh no, Ron! You didn't eat one, did you?" Hermione cried when she entered the room. "You have no self-control. I suppose it's safe to assume you ate one as well?" she asked, looking at Ginny with a small smile.

"_I_ know how to control myself," she boasted. She stared at her brother and his wife as they communicated silently. Ron moved forward and wrapped his arms around Hermione, kissing her forehead. "I'm going to go send this and then I'll be back," Ginny smiled.

"Don't use Rigsby!" Ron yelled after her.

"Don't worry I'll pop over to the post, if you're really that paranoid," she told him, walking into the main room to grab her purse and a few sickles before leaving to Apparating to the nearest Wizard post station, 10 miles away.

_Draco,_

_Sorry I've stayed longer than expected. It's so beautiful on the beach. I wish you could have come. You would have loved the restaurant we went to last night. I hope work isn't still crazy. I should be home sometime tonight. _

_I can't wait to see you again,_

_Ginny_

Draco scowled at the piece of paper. She was supposed to have been back two days earlier and she hadn't even contacted him to tell him her plans had changed. What if she had been arrested or killed? She was so irresponsible! He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it across the room.

He pulled his bottom desk drawer open and ripped a piece of parchment out of it. How could she be so careless? She played with his emotions and she never seemed to realize how much it hurt him.

_W,_

_I barely even noticed that you were away. I'll see you or I won't, whatever._

_M_

There, he thought, that would show her he didn't care anymore than she did. He whistled to his bird, opening the window to his office with a wave of his hand. "Take this to Ginny," he told him. He stuck the note in an envelope, and stamped it with his crest before finally letting his owl grab hold of it.

He rubbed his temples as he watched the bird take off. Glancing around his desk, his eyes connected with the green ribbon that had held his letter closed. He picked it up, wrapping it around his fingers, feeling how soft the silk was. Without thinking he brought it to his nose and inhaled, smiling faintly. His smile disappeared the second he realized what he was doing.

Standing up, he grabbed his cloak and some of his work before leaving his office. "I'm working from home for the rest of the day," he informed his secretary.

"Oh, wait, Mr. Malfoy," she called after him, hurrying over. "I noticed you weren't feeling well so I picked you up a potion to help with your head ache." She smiled up at him, holding out a small vial of a green substance.

"For your information," he growled, leaning over her. "I am not ill, merely sick of being in the office and dealing with the cretin that inhabit it."

"O-oh, I'm so sorry," she told him, looking to the floor and holding the potion behind her back. "Have a nice day, sir."

He Apparated into his home, tripping over the edge of the rug in his study as he practically ran to the cupboard next to the window. He threw it open and pulled out a bottle of firewhiskey. Unscrewing it, he tossed the cap over his shoulder and decided to take a walk. He didn't like to think about anything too much. He assumed if he consumed enough alcohol he wouldn't have to think about Ginny anymore. At least he wouldn't remember what he thought about her.

Ginny pressed a final kiss against her brother's cheek and wiped the tear that was traveling down to his chin. "Stop crying, you're going to make me start up," Ginny laughed quietly.

Ron offered her a small smile and began to release her from his hug, but pulled her in once more before she had a chance to get away. "I'm just always so worried about you," he admitted, finally letting her go completely. "I wish you would stay."

"I have a job to get back to," she told him, throwing her bag over her shoulder and giving Hermione a final wave through the window. Hermione liked to ease the pain of goodbyes by staying away from them. She had opted to clean dishes instead of walking Ginny to the Apparation point outside of their small cottage.

"Tell me when you get home. I know you'll be fine, but I just want some reassurance."

"Why don't you take me home, then?" she suggested, a smile tugging at her pink lips. She took Ron by the hand and began to pull him along with her, but it was useless as he had his feet planted firmly in the grass.

"You know I can't," he said. "I wish you lived with someone at least."

"I do live with someone," she cried, shaking her head at her clueless brother. "Draco Malfoy is a person, not a potted plant."

Ron pursed his lips and sighed. "I wish you lived with someone I trusted. Someone who actually cared about your well being."

"I'm leaving," she informed him, turning around, the wind blowing her hair into her face.

"I love you," Ron said finally, squeezing her hand before letting it fall limply to her side.

"And I love you! You need to stop worrying. Everything is perfectly lovely and always will be," she assured him.

"I wish I could see things as beautifully as you do," he sighed. "Be safe, Gin."

She gave him a last goodbye and turned on the spot, appearing in front of the posh building where she and Draco shared a flat. Pulling her bag more securely over her shoulder, she began to climb the stairs to the lift that took her directly to her door.

"Draco," she called once she was inside, peeking around the place. She opened the door to his study last, hoping he wasn't still working. She found it empty. "It's almost 9," she told herself. "He has to be home soon." The curfew put into place by the Ministry was still enforced quite strictly, even for purebloods.

She frowned instantly when she saw the door to the one of his cabinets open and empty. "Damn it," she whispered, biting her lip with force, begging herself not to cry. Wherever he was he had alcohol with him.

Draco kicked a can that was sitting near a trash bin as he passed another rowdy pub. Could he go nowhere to just sit in peace? He glanced at his wristwatch and scowled. Surely Ginny would be home by now. She was always so careful about the curfew. Draco couldn't care less. He had to admit to himself that he had flashed his Dark Mark more than a few times to let the Ministry workers know he was exempt from the law.

A happy couple passed him, holding hands and smiling. He couldn't help but snarl at them. Why could they be so happy and fooled by love? He didn't believe in love, only dependency, and he knew he wanted nothing more than to be an independent. He hated Ginny for doing this to him. She was the root of all of his problems. His stress at work, his lack of sleep, and his inability to focus on even the smallest task was all Ginny's fault. She walked around with a smile on her face and a bounce in her step, seeing only good things everywhere she went. Who could blame him for being drawn to her?

He sat down on a bench on the top of a hill over looking the city. It was dark enough to see all the stars gleam brightly, but Draco paid them no attention. Ginny loved the stars, so Draco despised them. The moon was beautiful and glorious, but Draco found no interest in looking up at it. He stared forward, looking at all of the buildings in his Wizarding town. His eyes lingered on the building he called home, before continuing their survey of the city.

Tossing back the rest of the bottle, Draco felt a sudden pang in his chest. He could feel his eyes sting and bile rise in his throat. He wanted to see Ginny so badly. He wanted her to smile at him and greet him with that unbelievably sympathetic face of hers. He was such a complete asshole. She was probably packing her things now, planning to move in with her brother. Draco knew Apparating wasn't the safest magic to engage in while under the influence, but he couldn't let her just leave him like this. He needed her!

Ginny wrung her hands, sitting on the couch in the front room. She just wanted him to come through the door so she knew he was okay. She wanted him to assure her that he was alive and safe. He was the most ridiculous wizard she knew, but she loved him and wanted him home more than anything. Looking for him would only cause more problems. She could only imagine the crazy things he would do if she wasn't there when he returned. He really was out of his mind.

She sat up straight when she heard someone fumbling with the door. The thumping in her chest increased its pace and her eyes filled with hope.

He stumbled forward and leaned against the doorframe. He held his head and ceased all movement. He looked as if he was going to collapse. Regaining his composure, he looked up, his eyes landing on Ginny. She had her bottom lip between her teeth, worrying as she looked on to him.

"Gin," Draco breathed, taking only a few steps to cross the room and take her up into his arms. He placed messy kisses on her cheek, neck, forehead, and lips. Holding her tighter, he took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Love, I'm sorry."

Ginny backed up so she could see his face, a lone tear falling from his eye told her all. "What for?" she asked, wiping it away and placing a kiss where it had been.

"I'm an idiot. I expected you to be packing once I got back here," he told her, brushing a hand through her long hair.

"I see you've taken a sobering potion," she commented, laying her head on his chest. "You wouldn't be able to be so articulate if you hadn't."

"It wasn't enough for the amount I drank. I was so worried about you. You're this amazing thing. I love you, and it just… it scares me sometimes," he whispered into her hair.

"I'm yours and that's it, _whatever_," she told him, rubbing his back softly as he continued to hold her close. "I shouldn't have been gone for so long, but I'm yours and that's it, forever."

"You're mine and that's it, forever."


End file.
